Storms, tornados, hurricanes, and other weather events can cause blackouts. These unpredictable power outages are generally unavoidable and can last from a few seconds to several weeks.
Unpredictable blackouts are different from rolling blackouts, which are becoming more common worldwide, including in the United States. But just because they are predictable does not mean rolling blackouts are convenient. On the contrary, they can interfere with work, school, and personal life.
What Causes Rolling Blackouts?
First, let’s look at why rolling blackouts exist in the first place.
Rolling blackouts are planned power cuts scheduled by grid operators when the power supply is unbalanced in a particular region. As a result, specific areas within a city or metro area experience temporary power outages for a short duration.
Customers are sometimes warned about rolling blackouts in advance, giving them time to prepare and get to a location with power. In other cases, rolling blackouts happen without warning as a last resort before the whole grid goes offline.
While rolling blackouts are intended to be short-term, they can extend. For example, when Texas was hit with a significant ice storm in 2021, residents were told to prepare for temporary rolling blackouts. Instead, homeowners ended up spending an average of 42 hours in the dark before getting their power turned back on.
This is why it’s essential to be prepared for rolling blackouts.
How Solar Can Help with Rolling Blackouts
Solar systems can help commercial and residential users keep the lights on during a rolling blackout. For example, universities, hospitals, and other commercial buildings typically have street lights that light up pathways, walkways, and parking lots. Losing power during a rolling blackout can mean leaving these areas in the dark, creating safety concerns for pedestrians.
Solar LED streetlights remain on no matter what the weather is like outside. Rain, shine, storms, or clear skies will work the same day in and day out. They are unconnected to the power grid, so they are not impacted by rolling blackouts. The typical LED lights will last around 50,000 hours or 11–15 years.
In addition, solar LED streetlights are easy to install because they don’t require trenching or connecting to the grid. Another benefit of solar LED streetlights is that they generate zero emissions, making them a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to traditional lighting, which is only as clean as the grid it is connected to.
Finally, solar LED streetlights are bright, providing up to 10,000 lumens. This ensures that pathways, parking lots, and walkways are well-lit when it’s dark outside, which is even more critical during a rolling blackout when other lights are unavailable.
Interested in Going Solar? Let’s Talk!
There are many reasons for commercial buildings to switch to solar power, including saving money, providing a sustainable energy source, and keeping the lights on even during blackouts.
Contact us today to learn more about our solar LED streetlights or any other solar product for your commercial building.
